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Local unemployment continues to fall across the state
Year-over-year declines in every county for 3rd consecutive month
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[April 01, 2011]
CHICAGO -- The February unemployment rate fell in every county in
Illinois for an unprecedented third consecutive month, according to
preliminary data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of
Employment Security. The data set began in 1976.
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 Unemployment rates also fell in every metropolitan area for a
record sixth consecutive month. That has not occurred since 1984.
The largest declines were in Rockford, down 4.2 points to 13.6
percent; Danville, down 3.5 points to 11.2 percent; and Peoria, down
3.3 points to 9.6 percent. The Chicago-Joliet-Naperville area
unemployment rate fell 2.2 points to 9.0 percent.
Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates
|
Metropolitan area |
Feb. 2011* |
Feb. 2010 |
|
Bloomington-Normal |
7.4% |
9.1% |
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Champaign-Urbana |
8.4% |
10.5% |
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Chicago-Joliet-Naperville |
9.0% |
11.2% |
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Danville |
11.2% |
14.7% |
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Davenport-Moline-Rock Island |
8.4% |
10.3% |
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Decatur |
11.2% |
14.0% |
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Kankakee-Bradley |
13.1% |
15.8% |
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Lake-Kenosha,
Ill.-Wis. |
10.6% |
13.1% |
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Peoria |
9.6% |
12.9% |
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Rockford |
13.6% |
17.8% |
|
Springfield |
8.1% |
9.7% |
|
St. Louis (Ill. section) |
10.0% |
12.1% |
* Data subject to revision.
Over the year, total payroll jobs increased in nine metropolitan
areas, decreased in one and were flat in two. The largest
over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were in
Peoria, up 2.9 percent and 4,900 jobs; Decatur, up 1.4 percent and
700 jobs; the Quad Cities, up 1.3 percent and 2,200 jobs; and the
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville area, up 1.1 percent and 39,400 jobs. (See
table below.)
The
major industries that led job growth were educational and health
services, manufacturing, and professional and business services.
"The record-setting declines in the unemployment rate shares the
story of a growing Illinois economy as much as it reflects the
breadth and depth of the national recession," IDES Director Maureen
O’Donnell said. "Even though the employment rate could tick up in
the coming months as the growing economy encourages others to
re-energize their job search, the trend shows our outlook is
improving and Illinois is moving in the right direction."
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The not seasonally adjusted data compares February 2011 with
February 2010. The February 2011 not seasonally adjusted state rate
was 9.4 percent, and it was 12.1 percent at its peak in this
economic cycle, in January 2010. Nationally, the rate was 9.5
percent in February and 10.6 percent in January 2010 at its peak.
The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and
looking for work. People ineligible for unemployment benefits will
be reflected in the unemployment rate if they continue to look for
work.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Employment Security
file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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Total nonfarm jobs (not seasonally adjusted)
-- February
2011
|
Metropolitan area |
February 2011* |
February 2010** |
Over-the-year change |
|
Bloomington-Normal MSA |
90,600 |
90,300 |
300 |
|
Champaign-Urbana MSA |
107,400 |
108,800 |
-1,400 |
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Chicago-Joliet-Naperville
Metro Div. |
3,568,800 |
3,529,400 |
39,400 |
|
Danville MSA |
28,400 |
28,500 |
-100 |
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Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
MSA |
175,800 |
173,600 |
2,200 |
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Decatur MSA |
51,400 |
50,700 |
700 |
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Kankakee-Bradley MSA |
42,300 |
41,900 |
400 |
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Lake County-Kenosha County
Metro Div. |
363,000 |
362,900 |
100 |
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Peoria MSA |
175,900 |
171,000 |
4,900 |
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Rockford MSA |
142,100 |
141,500 |
600 |
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Springfield MSA |
109,600 |
108,400 |
1,200 |
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Illinois section of St. Louis
MSA |
229,400 |
228,800 |
600 |
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*Preliminary |
**Revised |
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